Method and apparatus for discharging aqueous solutions of carbon dioxide



aienteci pr. 2 .3., 1934 tans METHQD AND APZPARA'EUS F03. DKSCHAEG ENGAQUEOUS SOLUTHUNS (9F @AREQN DIOXIDE Mortimer Jay Brown, Niagara Falls,N. Y. Application June 21, 1933, Serial No. 676,830 23 Claims. (Cl.225-24) This invention relates to method and apparatus for dischargingaqueous solutions of carbon dioxide, such as carbonated beverages, beer,etc., without excessive loss of carbon dioxide. Such charged liquids arealways stored under pressure, and in order to retain a substantialamount of gas in the liquid after its discharge into a drinking vessel,from high pressure to atmospheric pressure, or a high pressure supplyinto a bottle at lower pressure, it has been necessary to charge theliquid with an excessive amount of gas in order to retain a smallresidue'thereof in the liquid at the time it is drunk, or to hold thedesired pressure in the bottle when capped.

I have discovered that the excessive loss of gas in going from highpressure in the pressure container to lower pressure in the bottle, oratmospheric pressure in the drinking vessel, is caused by excessive andunnecessary turbulence in the liquid during its fall in pressure due tofaulty and improper design of the passages and the accessory fittings.By the method and apparatus of this invention such losses of gas due tounnecessary disturbance in discharging a carbonated liquid are avoided,and thereby liquid discharged according to this invention will retaintwice as much or more gas as the same liquid discharged according topresent procedure.

Water dissolves carbon dioxide in increasing proportions as the pressuregoes up and the temperature goes down. Since both temperature andpressure can be controlled in closed vessels, it is possible to get intothem solutions that are saturated under the conditions, and thereforenot stable at atmospheric pressure and the same temperature. The uniquemerit of carbon dioxide in a beverage is the result of supersaturationand an inherent instability which gives a transient and characteristiceffect on the tongue, throat and palate. Like the effect produced on thetongue, the supersaturation is transient at atmospheric pressure and isrendered more transient by increases of temperature. It has beenobserved that rising bubbles of carbon dioxide in a supersaturatedsolution of that gas in water are highly effective in removing thesurplus of gas from the water. This is explained by the fact that at aninterface between water and a gas-phase consisting wholly or partly ofcarbon dioxide bubbles-equilibrium is reached almost instantaneously,but that equilibrium as to the whole body of liquid is reached veryslowly because diffusion of carbon dioxide in the water away from or tothe interface is relatively slow. Any action that renews or changes thephases at the interface, such as turbulence, tends to hasten theequilibrium for the whole mass. Briefly, the more turbulent adischarging stream is, the more quickly it loses its gas before beingcollected in the drinking vessel. I have studied all of the availablecarbonated water faucets in standard use at present, and find that inall of them without exception a turbulent effect is present in reducingthe high velocity between the orifice from the valve and the annularnozzle or collector which directs the water at lower velocity into thereceiving vessel.

When solutions at elevated pressures are to be used in beverages, thepractical achievement desired is to bridge the gap of time, space andconditions of temperature and pressure from the moment the pressure isreduced, to the moment the supersaturated solution comes in contact withthe tongue, palate and throat, so that during the gap there may be aminimum loss of gas from the liquid. This is not so much of a problemwhen opening a sealed bottle and pouring from the bottle, but the use ofsmall containers is not always convenient or economical. In fact, muchcarbonated water cannot be used in this manner, but must be drawn insome quantities from large containers wherein the liquid is maintainedat elevated pressure. When being drawn from such holders into drinkingcontainers of usual size open, of course, to atmospheric pressure, thereis a serious practical problem which has not yet been solved insofar asfaucets are concerned. That problem is to remove-the liquid at such ratethat the receiving container is filled slowly enough to avoid agitationand yet fast enough for practical use; and at the same time to avoiddevelopment of high velocities of the liquid as it emerges from the zoneof high pressure to the zone of atmospheric pressure. The same problemexists where liquid under high pressure is to be charged into areceptacle, such as a bottle, under lower pressure.

My invention pertains particularly to a process and equipment for partlyneutralizing the deleterious results of the high velocity of the liquidas it emerges from a zone of high pressure to a zone of lower oratmospheric pressure.

After recognizing the high velocity as an effect to be reckoned with, Inoted that all equipment with which I was familiar used some sort ofdisruptive impact to lower the velocity of the issuing liquid. In everycase studied I found a turbulent discharge, and a strong tendency forthe impact to produce spray or entrainment of gas, or both, withwell-distributed large and small gas bubbles in the liquid as a result.Although it is impossible to visually examine these devices inoperation, the actual conditions prevailing therein may be imagined as aconglomeration of varying pressures, eddy currents and disruptiveimpacts, the result of which is the development of countless bubbles ofgas, the interfacial exposure of which is great and therefore highlydisruptive for maintaining the desired supersaturation.

My invention, which resulted from research and experimentation, is aprocess of accurately directing a thin stream of liquid which istraveling at high velocity, to establish contact between it and asurface, preferably polished, parallel or nearly parallel to the streamof liquid, and maintaining such contact until the velocity of the liquidis reduced to a reasonable speed by the braking action of the surface onthe thin stream. Involved in such broad method is the prevention ofeddies, spray, sharp angular impact with the surface, and sharp changeof direction; and the use of high smoothness of braking surface in ordernot to produce the agitation which a rough surface would produce.

In carrying out my invention, the first essential is that the reductionof pressure should be complete in one very restricted part of theequipment and as nearly instantaneous as possible, that is, the desiredreduction of pressure to or above atmospheric should take place over avery short length of flow and the drop in pressure should not beextended along the equipment more than necessary, because gas begins tobe evolved as soon as the reduction of pressure begins. In other words,the reduction of pressure and the imparting of direction to the liquidshould be in the same operation, precise, and nearly instantaneous. Onelateral dimension of the stream, such as the thickness, must be quitesmall although the other may be relatively great. Practically thisdescribes a thin film or sheet of water traveling at high velocity in adirection at right angles to these two dimensions.

Inasmuch as these dimensions are determined according to the timepermitted in which to draw the desired volume of liquid, an on-and-oficock behind the thin film discharge is desirable, be-

cause after once setting the film thickness itwill not ordinarily bechanged or varied during the drawing of a drink. I I

Second, the liquid traveling at high velocity is picked up on a solidsurface, preferably a sort of inclined plane. The liquid may cross anair gap to reach this surface, or as preferred, the surface is acontinuation of one orifice surface. This should be an unobstructedsurface, positioned almost or entirely parallel to the plane of travelof the water and correspondingly at right, or nearly right, angles tothe smaller of the two dimensions mentioned above. In such anarrangement friction is established between the smooth solid surface andthe rapidly moving thin .film of liquid without splash or eddy currents,

constituting the application tively nonagitating brake to high velocity.

The shape of the braking surface is preferably concave so as to lead theliquid gently without sharply changing its direction, to the usualdischarge nozzle or collector. The shape of the braking surface can varywidely from a fiattened spheroid through paraboloid or ellipsoid shapeto conical, but I have found the preferred form to be that shown hereinwhere the orifice is formed on the one side of the thin film by a of a.smooth, relaa thin liquid film of circumferential seat braking surface.This gives maximum divergence of stream. In the preferred form, theinitial portion of the brak'ng surface is flat, and thereafter curvesgradually and merges into the collector after the velocity has beensufficiently reduced. Thereby the direction of the stream continuesafter leaving the orifice without being diverted laterally or thrownback on itself. Thus there is no formation of eddies, impacts or thelike which cause rapid separation of gas from the liquid.

Third, the liquid having lost its velocity rapidly in contact with thesmooth surface, is led to a convenient discharge point, such as througha nozzle or collector to a receptacle to be charged at lower pressure,or to the drinking glass at atmospheric pressure.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l is a longi tudinal section showing adevice embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section of a standard soda fountain faucet arm with myinvention applied thereto;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 shows a form for horizontal discharge; and

Fig. 6 shows a form in which the stream passes through an air gapbetween the orifice and the braking surface.

Referring to Fig. l, 1 is a pipe to be connected to the tank of chargedl'quid, 2 is a cock of ordinary plug type which controls passage 3leading from the plug. 4 is a tube threaded to the plug body as shown,having interior screw threads 5, to which is screwed tubular body 6having its projecting screw thread slotted as at 7 to form waterpassages connecting the annular water space 8 with the holes 9 leadingto orifice chamber 10. This chamber functions to quet any turbulence anddirect the flow to the orifice. The surfaces of these parts are made assmooth and straight as possible so as not to unnecessarily agitate thewater in flowing therethrough at high pressure. Threaded. into tubularbody 6 by threads 11 is a rod 12 carrying adjacent its lower end anannular seat 13 having its upper surface accurately machined andsmoothly finished, this annular discharge surface being preferably in aon a stem are and th ft? other apping surface is the beginning of th by.which the or'fice between 13 and 1 can be adjusted. It will be seen thata continuous annular orifice is thus provided without any obstructionwhich would cause eddies, or break or deflect the stream.

The device is designed according to the volum to be delivered in a giventme with the orifice set at from around .001" to around .002", to givethe desired rate of discharge without having the film of liquid toothick. Upon opening the cock 2 wide, the liquid flows through theorifice and over'the braking surface at a predetermined rate. If thebraking surface at the orifice is normal to the axis and immediatelyadjacent thereto, it can be gradually changed from normal and continuedinto the smooth collector, as shown. There can be no impact between thesurface and the liquid after the latter leaves the orifice because thesurface is a continuation of the orifice. The liquid travels along thesolid surface losing velocity rapidly and takes the turn easily withoutimpact, splash, eddy currents or other disturbance, and then enters thecollector wherein the liquid from all parts of the jet combines fordelivery.

The following features should be noted in Fig. 1:

First, the cock does not control the rate of flow because if pressurereduction begins at the cock, gas will begin to escape at that point andthus result in deleterious and avoidable loss. The total pressurereduction is at the orifice and the liquid is continuously in contactwith the braking surface from the time and place it enters the orificewithout any air gaps, impacts, turbulence, or mixing of previouslydischarged liquid with freshly discharged liquid, and any one particleis not brought into contact with streams traveling in differentdirections or at different speeds. The thin stream provides easy escapeof gas bubbles from the liquid without permitting them to entrainadditional gas, maintaining relative solidity of the stream as a wholeand hence maintaining more effective braking on the relatively solidthin stream. If the stream is relatively thick, rather than thin, theeffective braking friction is reduced and there is a greater tendency toform gas bubbles with a reducedchance of escape from the body of theliquid.

After the velocity has been reduced to the desired rate, the form andsurface of the collector becomes less material, although it is withinthe principle of this invention, if the collector for other purposes hasobstructions, to so form it as not to cause significant agitation, butthe principle of this invention must be followed of using a surface as abrake on liquid moving at high speed without causing splash, eddies orserious impact.-

In Figs. 3 and 4, 20 represents a standard soda fountain faucet armleading to a rotary valve 21 operated by handle 22 adapted to beconnected either to port 23 or port 2'7. Port 23 leads to passage 24; inthe valve body, and a central passage 25 in my attachment fordischarging the usual needle stream through orifice 26. Port 27 in thevalve body leads by passage 28 to annular passage 29 in the body 30 ofmy attachment. From passage 29 four or more holes 31 lead to orificechamber 33. The rod 34 containing passage 25 is threaded into body 30 at35, and the rod 34 is also threaded at 36 to receive a set nut 3'7 andthreaded orifice seat member 38 having its upper end smoothly machinednormal tothe axis, as previously described, so as to overlie and'cooperate with braking surface 40. This construction permits adjustmentof the orifice. 41

. is a collector having its inner surface merging smoothly with that ofbraking surface 40. For convenience in adjusting the thickness of thestream, the collector 41 is threaded on body 30 so as to be easilyremoved. In using this form of the invention, itis only necessary todetach the standard nozzle and collector now employed and replace mine,as shown in Fig. 3, with a great gain in results as will be shown.

This invention is well adapted for horizontal discharge as shown in Fig.5, and in many instances will be preferred because of the low dischargevelocity thus obtainable. In this form the stream is continuous on thebraking surface 45 for some distance from the orifice, and thenseparates at the top while clinging to the surface, and merges at thebottom, the dotted lines 46 indicating roughly the edge of the stream.In using this form the bottom of the collector 4'7 should be slightlyinclined for drainage.

Fig. 6 shows a modification of Fig. 3, but equally applicable to Fig. 1,which the'orifice and braking surfaces are discontinuous. That is, thestream on leaving the orifice'traverses an air gap before striking thebraking surface in a substantially parallel direction. In practice, theangle of the stream striking the braking surface in substantialparallelism should not be over 15, so as not to cause splash, ordisturbance of the desired smooth fiow over the braking surface. In Fig.6, 49 is the passage in the body leading to orifice chamber 50, withupper orifice seat 52 surrounding rod 51. 53 is an adjustable lowerorifice seat member similar to 38. This construction will operate on thesame general principles and with the same results as above explained inconnection with Figs. 1 and 3.

Carbonated beverages are bottled from a source of liquid under highpressure into a bottle filled with air and the bottle is capped afterpermitting some bleeding off of the charging gas. This invention, as hasheretofore been indicated, is applicable to such procedure in order toeffect less loss of gas due high pressure to the bottle pressure.

I give data from a few of many comparative tests made at the same timeon the same charged water at the same temperature with standardcommercial equipment and my equipment. The method followed was to draw astandard-250 cc. glass of water through the standard equipment, thenstir it mechanically to collect the evolved gas, and then repeat withwater drawn from the same tank through my equipment. In every case Irecovered twice or more gas from water drawn through my equipment thanfrom the same water drawn through standard equipment.

I used water at 15 C. containing carbon dioxide at 50 pounds per squareinch and drew each glassful in 10 seconds. During an interval of 10seconds immediately after, the glass of water was placed in the testingapparatus; stirring was then continued for 5 minutes at which timepractically all gas was driven off that could be so removed. Using astandard soda fountain faucet with needle stream, 25 cc. of gas wererecovered.

- Using the same faucet with slow stream, 100 cc. of

gas were recovered. Using my equipment with slow stream, 300 cc. of gaswere recovered. The excess gas in the water delivered through myequipment was very noticeable to the taste, and one could easily be toldfrom the other on this account. It was also very noticeable in all thetests with my equipment that the water flowed into the glass with lessturbulence, eddies, etc.

Where tests are given for comparison, they were all made within a fewminutes of each other, and while the results varied from day to day, thecomparative figures here given as between my method and the standardmethod are conservative and well within the averages of many tests madeat various pressures.

It will be seen that this invention comprehends forming the th n film incontact with a braking surface or projecting the thin film across an airgap and contacting it at a low angle with the braking surface, whetherthe reduction in velocity be intermediate between a higher and a lowerpressure, or be from the higher pressure to atmospheric, there being inall cases a positive absolute pressure when the liquid has beendischarged and its pressure lowered. It will also be seen that while thestream as a whole diverges from the orifice, the individual linealelements of the stream are unidirectional in the line of discharge.-Thereby one individual element of the stream does not strike or defiectanother to produce impact, spray or eddies, nor does any individualelement of the stream strike a surface at such angle as to produceimpact, spray or eddy.

Various modifications and changes 'may be made in the details shownwithout departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Method of discharging carbonated liquids to prolong the period ofoversaturation at lowered pressure, consisting in smoothly flowing theliquid under pressure to an orifice, discharging the liquid in a thindiverging film between parallel surfaces, braking the film bymaintaining it in further diverging contact with one of said surfaces,andcollecting the liquid from a continuation of said braking surface.

2. Method of discharging carbonated liquids to retain an increasedcontent of gas consisting in leading the liquid under pressure to aquieting orifice chamber, discharging the liquid from said chamber in athin film at high velocity, and contacting the discharged liquid with abraking surface to reduce the velocity.

3. In carbonated liquid discharge apparatus, a supply pipe forliquidunder pressure, an orifice chamber connected thereto for quietingthe liquid, an orifice discharging the liquid in a thin film from saidchamber, and a braking surface extending substantially parallel to thedirection of discharge to receive and hold the stream in contact untilits velocity is substantially reduced.

4. In carbonated liquid discharge apparatus, a supply pipe for liquidunder pressure, an orifice chamber connected thereto for quieting the,liquid, an orifice discharging the liquid in a thin film from saidchamber across an air gap, and a braking surface extending substantiallyparallel to the direction of discharge to receive and hold the stream incontact until its velocity is substantially reduced.

5. In carbonated liquid discharge apparatus, a supply pipe for liquidunder pressure, a seat and an overlapping substantially parallel surfaceforming a narrow orifice discharging a thin film at high velocity, and abraking surface extended in the direction of fiow and holding the filmin contact therewith until its velocity is substantially reduced.

6. In carbonated liquid discharge apparatus, a supply pipe for liquidunder pressure, a seat and an overlapping surface forming a narroworifice discharging a thin non-turbulent film at high velocity, meansfor adjusting the width of the orifice, and a braking surface extendingin the direction of flow and holding the film in contact therewith untilits velocity is substantially reduced.

7. In carbonated liquid discharge apparatus, a supply pipe for liquidunder pressure, a seat and an overlapping braking surface forming anarrow orifice discharging a thin non-turbulent film at high velocity,the braking surface being extended in the direction of flow and holdingthe film in contact therewith until its velocity issubstantiallyreduced, and means for discharg- "ing independently of said orifice anunobstructed stream.

8. An attachment for discharging carbonated liquid comprisinga bodyhaving means at one end for connection to a valve, a channel in the endof said body to be supplied with'liquid, the

body having a longitudinal passage from said 9. An attachment fordischarging carbonated liquid comprising a body having means at one endfor connection to a valve, a channel in the end of said body to besupplied with liquid, the body having a longitudinal passage from saidchannel and an orifice chamber, an orifice, a concave braking surfacesurrounding said orifice, a cylindrical member carried by the bodyformingthe inner wall of the orifice chamber, a seat carried by saidmember constituting one surface of said orifice, and means for adjustingsaid seat to vary the width of the orifice.

10. An attachment for discharging carbonated liquid comprising a bodyhaving means at one end for connection to a valve, a channel in the endof said body to be supplied with liquid, the body having a longitudinalpassage from said channel and an orifice chamber, an orificeja concavebraking surface surrounding said orifice,

a cylindrical member carried by the body forming the inner wall of theorifice chamber, a seat carried by said member constituting one surfaceof said orifice, and a collector carried by said body having its innersurface constituting a continuation of said braking surface.

11. An attachment for discharging carbonated liquid comprising a bodyhaving means at one endfor connection to a valve, a channel in the endof said body to be supplied with liquid, the body having a longitudinalpassage from said channel and an orifice chamber, a concave brak-,

condition, and a non-agitating braking surface extending substantiallyparallel to the direction of discharge receiving and conducting suchfilm to discharge at lower velocity.

13. Method of discharging carbonated liquids to prolong the period ofover-saturation at lowered pressure, consisting in conducting the liqiudto an orifice from a source of liquid under high pressure, ejecting theliquid from said orifice in a thin film at high velocity, and contactingthe film issuing from the said orifice with a braking surface extendingsubstantially in the direction of the flow of liquid through saidorifice.

14. Method of discharging carbonated liquids .to prolong the period ofover-saturation at lowered pressure, consisting in conducting the liquidto an orifice from a source of liquid under high pressure, ejecting theliquid from said orifice in a thin film at high velocity while releasingthe liquid from substantially the pressure of said source to asubstantially lower pressure as it escapes from the orifice, andcontacting the stream issuing from the orifice with a braking surfaceextending substantially in the direction of the flow of liquid throughthe orifice.

15. Method of discharging carbonated liquids to prolong the period ofover-saturation at lowered pressure, consisting in forming a thin streamat high velocity and contacting said stream with a braking surfaceextending in the direction of, fiow, each particle of said stream movingin a single planethroughout the braking action.

16. Method of discharging carbonated liquids to prolong the period ofover-saturation at lowered pressure, consisting in producing a film ofrapidly moving liquid on a smooth braking surface under such conditionsthat substantially all reduction of pressure occurs in the orifice, andall causes that may produce obvious turbulence between the time ofemergence from the orifice and the time when the film is formed areavoided.

'17. Method of discharging carbonated liquids to prolong the period ofover-saturation at lowered pressure, consisting in spreading rapidlymoving liquid from an orifice as a film on a solid braking surface, andpreventing turbulence producing impacts between solid surfaces andliquid, and liquid and liquid, from the time high velocity is developeduntil it is reduced to the desired extent.

18. Method of discharging carbonated liquids to prolong the period ofover-saturation at lowered pressure, consisting in conducting the liquidto an unobstructed orifice from a source of liquid under high pressure,ejecting the liquid from said orifice in a thin film at high velocity,and contacting the film issuing from said orifice with an unobstructedbraking surface extending substantially in the direction of the flow ofliquid through said orifice.

19. Method of discharging carbonated liquids to prolong the period ofover-saturation at lowered pressure, consisting in flowing liquid underpressure to a parallel walled orifice through a passage substantiallysuppressing turbulence in the liquid at the orifice, discharging theliquid in a film through the orifice onto a braking surface initiallyextending substantially in the direction of discharge, and maintainingcontact of the film with the braking surface until the velocity has beenreduced to a desired extent.

20. Method of discharging carbonated liquids to prolong the period ofover-saturation at lowered pressure, consisting in simultaneouslydischarging the liquid in a thin film through an orifice with fullpressure drop in the orifice and directing said film to establishnon-turbulent contact with a braking surface until the velocity issubstantially reduced.

21. In a carbonated liquid discharge apparatus, a supply passage forliquid under pressure, an orifice having less area than said passage fordischarging a thin non-turbulent film at high velocity, and a brakingsurface extending substantially parallel to the direction of dischargeto at least initially receive and hold the stream in contact until itsvelocity is substantially reduced.

22. In carbonated liquid discharge apparatus, a supply pipe for liquidunder pressure, an orifice chamber connected thereto for quieting theliquid, an orifice discharging the liquid in a thin divergingnon-turbulent film from said chamber, and a braking surface extendingsubstantially parallelto the direction of discharge to receive and holdthe stream in contact until its velocity is substantially reduced, eachparticle of said stream moving in a single plane throughout the brakingaction.

23. In carbonated liquid discharge apparatus, an orifice for discharginga thin film at high velocity, means for conducting liquid under pressureto said orifice, and a braking surface extending substantially parallelto the direction of discharge of the liquid through the orifice toreceive and hold the stream in contact until its velocity issubstantially reduced, the cross section of said orifice being less thanthe cross section of any section of said conducting means.

MORTIMER JAY BROWN.

